Referees

Association of Referees Leinster Branch Officials Terenure College RFC currently has 10 active referees in the Association of Referees Leinster Branch as well as 4 offciers.If you need a referee for a friendly match why not get in touch with them (club only).The ARLB are always crying out for new referees – please contact them at www.arlb.net if you are interested.The ARLB are sponsored by Subaru, Eden Park and Kukri

Active Referees

Referee

Level

Tony Redmond

IRFU / South California

Paul Haycock

IRFU

John Paul Doyle

IRFU Dev / RFU

Dan Wallace

IRFU Dev

Fr Richard Byrne

3

Simon Halpin

2B

Barry Armstrong

2B

Michael Shanahan

2C

Damien Molloy

1

Paddy MacNamee

1

Tony Maguire

Trial

Philip Kane

Trial

Rory Warfiled

Trial

Alan O’Brien

Other Members

Norman Camier

(President)

Brendan Jenkinson

(Exchange Secretary ARLB)

Michael O’Donohoe Terry Doyle

(President of ARLB 2006/07)

Former Club Referees

Terry Doyle

(President of ARLB 2006/07)

Noel Manahan

(President of ARLB 1977/78)

Enda Ryder

(1960’s and 1970’s)

Val Murphy

(1970’s)

Des Lamont

(1980’s and 1990’s)

As the first XV ran out on the training pitch last summer ahead of their Argentina tour their quick step seemed all of a sudden to become to a slow trot and then mysteriously they stopped. Aghast, they stared towards the centre of the pitch where not one, not two but fifteen referees awaited them. No, it was not the annual 1 st XV v referees game but rather a referees celebration. On a summers evening Terenure’s referees got together to have their ‘team’ photo taken with their new president.

Terenure are proud of their referees, as a look around the walls of the famous club will show, and they currently boast 10 active referees and 5 (you might say inactive) former referees in their ranks, all currently involved in one way or another with the Association of Referees Leinster Branch (ARLB). The experience of the referees within the club goes from the top of the ladder right down to the new recruits. Tony Redmond is probably one of the most experienced you’ll come across. Currently officiating through the eyes of the TV at European games, Tony has been refereeing for many years both at IRFU Level and on the European circuit. Tony is the kind of guy that makes refereeing look easy. Then there is the new batch, like Paul Haycock, son of former Leinster and Ireland wing Paul Snr who took up refereeing not so long ago through the IRFU Schools program. Paul has reached the dizzying heights of Division 1 of the AIB League and has gone on to touch judge in the U21 World Cup in a relatively short time. Terenure’s referee history goes back a long time with the first referee of significance in Terenure being Noel Manahan. Noel is still alive and a regular active member of Terenure and the ARLB. He always dressed in all black and was thus an unusual sight in Leinster rugby. He went on to become President of the ARLB in 1977. Other referees of note from the club include Enda Ryder, who was twice president of Terenure and refereed in the 60’s and 70’s, Val Murphy who refereed in the 70’s and following his transfer in work to Cork, he went on to be President of the Referees Association in Munster.

Then of course there is Des Lamont. Des a former ARLB and IRFU referee has the distinction of refereeing the first AIB league (or ICI League as it was then) game under floodlights between Wanderers and Lansdowne in 1995. He refereed a schools cup final, a Leinster senior cup final and travelled Europe officiating at the highest level. Des refereed players like Will Carling, Martin Johnson, Simon Geoghan and Eric Elwood who at the tome were starting out on their careers. A man of immense rugby knowledge, a law changer and a proud Terenure man.

Then there is the other side of refereeing – the back room staff so to speak. This year another Terenure man took up the position of President of the ARLB, a position that has been held by a number of former referees in the club. Terry Doyle has been an active member of various committees over the years and this year has the honour of representing the ARLB through Ireland as president, a job Terry takes very seriously but also derives much pleasure out of. “Rugby Football has always been my chosen sport. I have always relished the responsibility of being a referee and I now look forward to the coming Season to insure the great work of our association and that it continues to go from strength to strength” Terry said when he addressed the referees conference earlier this season. Norman Camier, another Terenure man will take the position next year. Brendan Jenkinson another former president and Dan Wallace an active referee in the club make up the rest of the clubs representation on the ARLB’s committee.

So the refereeing future is bright and promising in Terenure as it has been for many years now. The club actively encourage new referees and also there is strong recruitment in place from the ARLB throughout Leinster. The association needs more referees and opting to become one may be the best decision you’ve made for a long time. Feel free to make contact with the ARLB at denis.collins@leinsterrugby.ie or visit www.arlb.net.